IAU Astronomy Outreach Newsletter

2016 #13 July #1

In this newsletter:

0. From the Editors
1. IAU Office of Astronomy for Development (OAD) 2016 Call for Proposals
2. International Symposium on Education in Astronomy and Astrobiology
3. National Outreach Contacts (NOCs) corner: News from India
4. Universal Design Symposium in Japan
5. ALMA Sounds
6. Sending Solar Glasses to Africa for Sep 1 Eclipse
7. Fourth ESO Astronomy Camp for Secondary School Students — Win a free astronomy trip to the Alps
8. Join Globe at Night (GaN) for July, 2016 campaign!
9. Meetings & global events
   1. Recently added
   2. Important deadline
   3. Upcoming
10. IAU Astronomy Outreach Newsletter in other languages
11. Contributions to IAU Outreach Newsletter for 2016

 

0) From the Editors

The Office of Astronomy for Development has officially opened the 2016 Call for Proposals. Don’t miss the opportunity to apply!

In this issue: learn about the IAU Symposium on Education in Astronomy and Astrobiology; we highlight the NAOJ universal design symposium that will happen in Japan and which our team has directly supported; and in July don’t miss the Globe at Night campaigns.

We also want thank our great National Outreach Contacts (NOCs) who continue to send us details of events and activities in their respective countries — in this issue we highlight news from India.

Clear Skies!
Lina Canas & Sze-leung Cheung
IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach

 

1) IAU Office of Astronomy for Development (OAD) 2016 Call for Proposals

The OAD invites proposals for projects that use astronomy as a tool to address an issue related to sustainable development. It is open to anyone, from anywhere in the world, to submit a proposal. The selection process will take into account the qualifications and experience of the individuals in the team. Although the working language of the OAD is English the office will endeavour, through its regional offices, language centres and volunteers, to assist anyone who wishes to communicate in another language. Please contact OAD as early as possible if language, accessibility or any other assistance is required. The deadline for Expressions of Interest is 15 July 2016.

Learn more here: http://www.astro4dev.org/aboutiauoad/cfp/

 

2) International Symposium on Education in Astronomy and Astrobiology

The “International Symposium on Education in Astronomy and Astrobiology (ISE2A): theory, methods, impacts and future directions” will be hosted in Utrecht, the Netherlands, from 3 to 8 July 2017. This international symposium is co-sponsored by the IAU and the European Astrobiology Campus and is designed to bring education research in astronomy in general, and in astrobiology in particular, to the professional scientific community. With this first meeting on astronomy education in combination with the growing subdiscipline of astrobiology, the organizing committee aims to strengthen both fields through cross-teaching collaborations.

Learn more here: http://ise2a.uu.nl/

 

3) National Outreach Contacts (NOCs) corner: news from India

The transit of Mercury on 9 May was a success in India. A national campaign was run by the Public Outreach and Education Committee (POEC) of the Astronomical Society of India (ASI) to network all telescope owners and science popularisers across the country. Altogether, around 250 locations, where volunteers were ready to show the transit to the general public through their telescopes, were registered on the national map by 9 May, and it was estimated that more than 75 000 people managed to see the transit as a result of this campaign. Live webcasts were registered from seven locations, so many people were at least able to see the transit online, if circumstances like bad weather and so on meant they could not observe it in person. A handbook on the transit and on observing the Sun, as well as additional resources, were available for free download on the ASI-POEC website for educators to access useful information.

Learn more here: http://astron-soc.in/outreach/activities/sky-event-related/transit-of-mercury-2016/

 

4) Universal Design Symposium in Japan

The “3rd Symposium on Universal Design for Astronomy Education with Workshops for Educational Material Development” will be held between 24 and 26 September 2016 in Mitaka, Tokyo, Japan. This time, in addition to the standard Japanese lectures, the symposium will focus on a more hands-on approach, with many workshops also taking place. The symposium will also benefit from the participation of international invited speakers and an exclusive day dedicated to English lectures and hands on workshops. Two of the invited speakers are Wanda Diaz Merced from the IAU Office of Astronomy for Development, South Africa, and Amelia Ortiz-Gil from the Astronomical Observatory of Valencia, Spain.

You can find more about the program here: http://prc.nao.ac.jp/fukyu/ud2016/index_E.html

 

5) ALMA Sounds

ALMA Sounds is an interactive project that brings together artists and astronomers with the aim of finding a common cosmic language. In late 2015, the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) and the Department of Astronomy of the Universidad de Chile, in conjunction with Sónar+D and Corporación Chilena de Video, invited musicians and artists to work with sounds created from observations made by one of the most powerful radio telescopes in the world. The project has recently launched a new interactive website.

You can read the press release here: https://public.nrao.edu/news/announcements/2016-alma-sounds
Discover more here: http://almasounds.org/

 

6) Sending Solar Glasses to Africa for the 1 September Eclipse

Astronomers Without Borders (AWB) needs help to provide solar glasses to African students so they can safely view the 1 September solar eclipse. In a similar campaign before the African eclipse of 2013, AWB sent 13 700 glasses to classrooms throughout Africa. This time, with more time and resources, the team plans to provide eclipse glasses for 37 000 students with the hope of reaching 100 000!

Learn more about the project here: http://bit.ly/2968wG9

 

7) Fourth ESO Astronomy Camp for Secondary School Students — win a free astronomy trip to the Alps

ESO and its Science Outreach Network are collaborating with the science education event organiser Sterrenlab and the Astronomical Observatory of the Autonomous Region of the Aosta Valley (OAVdA) to arrange the fourth ESO Astronomy Camp on the topic of the multiwavelength universe. The camp will take place from 26 December 2016 to 1 January 2017 in the Aosta Valley, Italy.

Read more here: http://www.eso.org/public/announcements/ann16031/

 

8) Join Globe at Night (GaN) for July 2016 campaign!

During Global Astronomy Month in April, GaN campaigns received details of 2550 observations from citizen-scientists who rated the brightness of their night sky. This amounted to half as many measurements as had been accumulated in the first three months of 2016, bringing the total by the end of April to 7740. Globe at Night is looking for more measurements at this time of year and from all locations worldwide. Spend a few minutes making an important contribution to monitoring light pollution by taking measurements.

Learn more about GaN: www.globeatnight.org

 

9) Meetings & global events

Here you can find a list of astronomy outreach & education conferences and events around the world.

a) Recently added

ESO Astronomy Camp
Date: 26 December 2016 to 1 January 2017
Location: Aosta Valley, Italy.
More information: http://www.eso.org/public/announcements/ann16031/

b) Important deadline

First Arab Winter School for Astrophysics (FAWSA)
Registration: 30 July 2016
Date: 28 November to 3 December 2016
Location: Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh, Morocco
More Information: http://marrakech-astro.uca.ma/fawsa/

c) Upcoming

1. Starlight, Beyond Light Pollution 2016 Workshop
   Date: 2-10 July 2016
   Location: La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain
   More Information: www.astro-travels.com/La-Palma-Starlight-2016.html
2. European Week of Astronomy and Space Science (EWASS)
   Date: 4-8 July 2016
   Location: Athens, Greece
   More Information: eas.unige.ch/EWASS2016/
3. International Astronomical Youth Camp (IAYC)
   Date: 24 July - 13 August 2016
   Location: Exmoor National Park, Somerset, UK
   More information: www.iayc.org
4. 41st COSPAR Scientific Assembly
   Date: 30 July - 7 August 2016
   Location: Istanbul, Turkey
   More Information: cospar2016.tubitak.gov.tr/en/
5. Global Hands-On Universe Conference (GHOU 2016) & Galileo Teacher Training Program (GTTP) International Workshop
   Date: 22 - 27 August 2016
   Location: Stord, Norway
   More information: handsonuniverse.org/ghou2016/registration/
6. Twenty-fourth Annual Conference (SEAC 2016)
   Date: 12–16 September 2016
   Location: Bath, England
   More Information: www.seac2016.com
7. The 3rd Conference on Universal Design for Astronomy Education
   with Workshops for Educational Material Development
   Date: 24-26 September 2016
   Location: Mitaka, Tokyo, Japan
   More information: http://prc.nao.ac.jp/fukyu/ud2016/index_E.html
8. International Conference on Artificial Light at Night (ALAN 2016)
   Date: 26-28 September 2016
   Location: Cluj, Napoca, Romania
   More Information: www.artificiallightatnight.org
9. LARIM 2016: XV Latin American Regional IAU Meeting
   Date: 3-7 October, 2016
   Location: Cartagena de Indias, Colombia
   More Information: larim.unal.edu.co
10. 1st Workshop on Astronomy Beyond the Common Senses for Accessibility and Inclusion
    Date: 8 October, 2016
    Location: Cartagena de Indias, Colombia
    More Information: wai.unal.edu.co/information/
11. World Space Week
    Date: 4–10 October 2016
    Location: Worldwide
    More Information: www.worldspaceweek.org/theme/
12. International Observe the Moon Night
    Date: 8 October 2016
    Location: Worldwide
    More Information: observethemoonnight.org
13. DPS-EPSC Joint Meeting 2016
    Date: 16-21 October 2016
    Location: Pasadena, CA, United States
    More Information: www.epsc2015.eu
14. Arab Conference on Astronomy and Geophysics
    Date: 17–20 October 2016
    Location: Helwan, Cairo, Egypt
    More Information: acag-conf.org
15. IX International Conference on Oriental Astronomy
    Date: 15–18 November 2016
    Location: Pune, India
    More Information: icoa2016.tifr.res.in
16. First Arab Winter School for Astrophysics (FAWSA)
    Date: 28 November to 3 December 2016
    Location: Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh, Morocco
    More Information: marrakech-astro.uca.ma/fawsa
17. ESO Astronomy Camp
    Date: 26 December 2016 to 1 January 2017
    Location: Aosta Valley, Italy.
    More information: http://www.eso.org/public/announcements/ann16031/

Have we missed something? Then share your astronomy outreach and international education meetings or events with us via outreach@iau.org.

 

10) IAU Astronomy Outreach Newsletter in other languages

You can find some translations of this newsletter in Japanese and Spanish:

In Japanese, by the Japan Amateur Astronomers Association: http://www.jaaa-astro.jp/jaaa-ml.html

In Spanish, by the Spanish Astronomical Society (older issues): http://www.sea-astronomia.es/drupal/content/newsletter-iau-noc

If you are interested in translating our newsletter to your language, please let us know via outreach@iau.org.

11) Contributions to IAU Outreach Newsletter for 2016

Here at the IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach, we are always looking for more news about astronomical education and outreach events around the world. In 2016 please continue to share your stories with us! If you are organizing any large-scale events at a regional or international level, are offering astronomy education or communication job positions, have any innovative projects or inspiring stories, are looking for professional–amateur collaboration in astronomy, or have created any educational resources, let us know by sending an email to outreach@iau.org.